The Return of The Giants – Home Review

A lot has happened in episode 2 – Home – and things are already getting serious early on.

MAJOR SPOILERS ahead, so do not continue if you haven’t watched episode two of season six of Game of Thrones.

Dead? / HBO

Episode 1 of season 6 of Game of Thrones got us back to speed on most story arcs from season 5. It wasn’t very fast paced, but a decent season opener. Episode 2 – Home – gives the season the kick it needed to really start flying forward.

In the first half, we see the series’ giants given some screen time. First, we see Bran return to Game of Thrones, and also in time, as he wargs his way to the past to witness his father’s (Ned) childhood. There is a giant stable boy there, who we learn is actually Hodor, and he is even given a name, Willis. Not only that but Hodor also talks!

Then we get a glimpse of another giant. This time It’s The ‘Walking Dead’ Mountain, who dispatches of a man who ridicules Cersei. Tommen seems to also succumb to his mother’s ways. Are we witnessing the evolution of Tommen into older brother Joffrey? We wouldln’t bet against it.

Arya? Just as Sansa finds out her younger sister is alive (courtesy of Brienne) she is finally “no one”, but at least it seems this “no one” passed her jedi test, and won’t stay blind for long.

Giant number three is with the wildlings as they come to Ser Davos’ aid in Castle Black. This time the giant also dispatches (Hulk vs Loki style) a crow smart enough to shoot him with an arrow.

Now to business. In another twist (of the knife), Ramsay Bolton murders his own father, just as Ramsay’s new brother is born. His new brother doesn’t last long though. Ramsay makes sure he is an only (now orphaned) child, when he feeds the newborn to his hounds, alongside his mother. Terrifying, but kind of expected when it comes to Ramsay.

Theon decides to return home to The Iron Islands, and we get to see his sister, Yara, and father (Balon) in a heated conversation, just before Balon is thrown to sea, and killed, by his own brother, Euron Greyjoy.

Speaking of giants, we also welcome back two winged ones, in the form of Daenerys’ puppy eyed children. Tyrion understands that keeping the twin dragons in a crypt is no way to raising them (what was their mother thinking?), and decides to unshackle them in quite a tense scene, with Lord Varys watching. So more DRAGONS to come! yayy! I gotta say, those dragons are pretty relaxed around Tyrion. Is there something in the rumors of him having Targaryen in him? Hmmm.

A brave man, this Tyrion / HBO

Now, with so many dead, perhaps someone will come back to life to even things out a bit?

Ser Davos, having jailed the perpetra(i)tors of Castle Black now turns to Melisandre. He is hopeful that her knowledge of black magic can help revive Jon Snow. Many of us knew this was coming, but will it work? In the scene, Melisandre mumbles in Valyrian as she wipes away Jon’s blood to reveal the scaring from all his wounds. After a lengthy, nerve wracking wait, Jon remains cold and dead on the table and everyone leaves the room. The Camera pans to Jon’s Direwolf, Ghost, and if you hadn’t realized by then, you knew now that Jon was coming back. Dogs always know these things, and as the direwolf raises his head and sniffs Jon just before he wakes.

So, in the end, the most prominent theory is the one that stuck with the show-runners and we get to see the return of the late Lord Commander, Jon Snow! – The true Giant of this episode.

How excited are you for episode 3? Surprised about what happened with Jon Snow? Let us know in the comments